Posts Made By: Gerald Kuchera

That's pretty horrible! :C Geez, don't know if windix is the right stuff to use on multicoated optics but if that's all ya got....

I'd spread "Sluggo" slug bait (iron phosphate) under the scope next time!

It should let ya sleep better at night.

Gerald

Dmitri,

The only one I know of is Vixen I believe. As I recall,
the 10X50 can be configured either way.

They've got a 10X50 and a 7X50 Don't know if Anacortes has it.
http://www.vixenamerica.com/products/Default.asp?TopCatCode=AV&Fam_or_Cat=AV-FS&Short_Verbose=Finder+Scope

Good Luck,

Gerald

I'd vote the Orion. The Atlas mount is very versatile. You can mount other kinds of scopes. I imagine you can mount scopes side by side on it.

Here's an animated review of the Atlas Mount:
http://www.andysshotglass.com/atlas.html

Orion's got great customer service.

Gerald

Isaac,

I hope you also have a pair of binoculars. They are an invaluable aid. 50X7, 50X10 are great to have near the telescope.

My wife and I like to use and recommend "Starwatch" by Phil Harrington, The Sky & Telescope, "Pocket Sky Atlas" for our urban site. "Turn Left at Orion" is also a good starter book.

Oh, and Phil has a deep sky book out I think, haven't seen it yet...Don't know why a lot of folks don't use them, but planispheres are excellent tools to navigating though the season's night skies. David Levy's Planisphere and Firefly has a large one also I believe.

"NightWatch" by Terrence Dickinson is a good beginner guide, with a new (4th)edition out.

Software: "Starry Nights", useful for printing sky charts, planning a nights observing, estimating FOV, controlling some GoTo mounts, etc.. "Stellarium", free planetarium software.
"Virtual Moon Atlas", freeware for PC.

"Skymaps.com" for monthly star chart with hightlights to expect through the month.

And to read all this stuff at the telescope: a Petzl Tactikka Headlamp with flip-up red lense (with additonal red tape to tone the brightness down). Three brightness levels. Best astronomy flashlight ever, IMHO.

Best of Luck and Enjoy those night skies!

Gerald

You're looking at one of two options:

Gift certificate-Safe, cautious, dull compared to the real thing under the tree.

Gift- Kinda chancy, but if it doesn't work out, sell it on Astromart!! I'm in the camp of taking a chance with a gift of the real thing. Just gotta be realistic, you can't get everything at once with your budget.

It's tough IMHO to go wrong with an 8" SCT. It's got nice aperture for years of enjoyment. Lunar, planets, and some deep sky (later enhanced by imaging equipment, video eyepiece perhaps) It's compact, breaks down into light weight components. Maybe I'm goin' against the crowd but I say go for it!

Here's one on Astromart at a good price:http://www.astromart.com/classifieds/details.asp?classified_id=460622


Hey, and you've got money left over to binoculars! Binos are terrific to have, even with a telescope! Get a 10X50, you'll love it.

Good Luck!

Gerald

I suspect the price to service it is more than it would be to put a new one up there....Indeed, I was told that by one of the Mars Rover chief engineers, and I believe her.

If I'm not mistaken, the Spitzer Infared Telescope cost $720 million total. This service mission will top 900million. And that's an estimate so far. Adjusted for inflation, another Spitzer would cost 873 million so I suspect another new Hubble would be similar in cost.

Also, although I am sentimentally attached to the Hubble like anyone else, I also suspect it is becoming outdated by adaptive optics/optical telescope interferometry down on Terra Firma.

I don't mean to offend anyone, but it seems NASA has bent over in the wrong direction toward politics and left objective science analysis in the dust bin. I wonder if we will be getting the best scientific bang for the buck here.


Gerald

Here's a few to get you started:
http://www.davidillig.com/astromac.shtml

Dr. Monks- Mac user:
http://homepage.mac.com/nmonks/astronomy/astronomy.html

Cloudy Nights-Webcam on a Mac
http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=1044

Best of Luck,
Gerald

Paul,

If you want to use a laser as a learning tool for educating others- I got mine at Z-Bolt.
I don't know if they have one for astronomical pointer (one designed to remain on for a time without overheating), but perhaps they do.

Thanks to using one, my wife and I have turned a lot of people on to astronomy. It's incredible in that it helps new folks visualize the constellations while we point things out. I'm a believer for using them as a teaching aid. In fact, my wife with a green laser and binoculars has helped me quickly locate objects with our 10" dob during outreach programs.

Just remember to stay at or below 5mw or you're break'n the law.

Gerald

http://z-bolt.com/generic27.html?gclid=CLiQsO3g9okCFR9DggodwSAhWw

David,

I use both manual guiding with a Dobsonian and also
have a GoTo mount.
GoTo is well worth having. It's really cool to
locate and view objects during the day with it!
Try that you old cranky star hopping freaks.
My GoTo will beat you in a race, especially during the day. 8)

The pure and simple way is fun too. With my GoTo,
I can still star hop if I want to. Or I use the Dob.
Have you checked the price of that Losmandy used on Astromart??

Gerald

Just got the magazine! Great fun to read. Suddenly I feel lust for the Unitronitalia selling the Lazzarotti Optics Dall-Kirkham 315mm! (pg16)

Vixen USA is offering some enticing warranties: 3-5 years. Cool!
It's equipment Hog Heaven!

Seems like a terrific mag.

Gerald